The field of the invention generally relates to automatic ice makers for household refrigerators, and more particularly relates to apparatus for disabling such an ice maker when the ice storage bin is not properly positioned to receive ice.
Automatic ice makers have been commonly used in freezer compartments of household refrigerators for many years. Generally, ice makers include a mold or tray, and apparatus for automatically filling the mold cavities with a charge of water. After the water is frozen in the mold as determined by some suitable device such as, for example, a temperature sensor or timer, the ice cubes are harvested by an ejector mechanism that discharges the ice cubes into an ice storage bin or bucket. Then, starting with the step of refilling the mold with water, the cycle is automatically repeated over and over.
Automatic ice makers have used ice-level sensors that shut-off or deactivate the harvesting of ice when a predetermined level of ice has been reached in the storage bin. For example, it is desirable that the ice be made at a relatively fast rate so as to keep up with a heavy use period. However, during normal operation, significant periods of time pass when relatively little or no ice is removed from the storage bin. If an ice maker were permitted to continue to make and harvest ice at the relatively fast rate during an extended low use period, the ice would overflow the storage bin and fill the freezer compartment.
One common ice-level sensor includes a feeler arm that is pivotally positioned for moving down into the ice storage bin. Just prior to harvesting the ice, the feeler arm is automatically rotated up out of the way so that ice may be dumped into the ice storage bin. The feeler arm is then automatically lowered back into the storage bin until its downward motion is stopped by contact with the ice in the storage bin. If the ice in the bin is below a predetermined level, the feeler arm rotates to a relatively low position before it contacts the ice and, in response thereto, the automatic ice maker continues to cycle thereby continuing to fill the ice storage bin. If, however, the ice in the bin is above a predetermined level, the feeler arm contacts the ice and is stopped at a relatively high position and, in response thereto, the automatic ice maker is shut off or deactivated. As a result, no additional ice is harvested by the ice maker until sufficient ice has been removed from the storage bin so that the feeler arm pivots downwardly below the predetermined level.
Typically, the ice storage bin is removable from the freezer compartment so that the ice can be conveniently removed from it. One problem with such an automatic ice maker is that if the ice storage bin is intentionally or inadvertently not replaced back into the freezer compartment, the feeler arm stays in a relatively low sensing position such that ice continues to be made and harvested even though the ice storage bin is not there to collect the ice. It is noted that some ice makers have feeler arms that can be manually rotated to an out-of-service position that stops the production of ice. However, even with these units, if the operator forgets or doesn't know to disable the ice maker manually, ice will continue to be made after the storage bin is removed. Another problem is that a typical ice storage bin has a relatively deep lateral notch in one wall so that the storage bin can be inserted and removed from the freezer compartment without contacting and bending the feeler arm in the low position. When the storage bin is removed from the freezer compartment, ice may fall out of the notch.